Luke, Floyd Vance 'Pig'

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: LUKE.F001
• _FGRAVE: 15941040
• Military Service: World War II, Chief Machinist's Mate, United States Navy

Notes:

NOTES FROM STEVE LUKE:
researched and written by J.Lee Ready

Floyd Vance Luke enlisted into the U.S. Navy in late 1940 and received training at Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois. At the end of February 1941, he graduated Fireman 3rdC and took a leave at home. At some time during the year he joined the USS Holland,(Capt.J.W.Gregory) a submarine tender of 8,100 tons and a crew of 388, based at San Diego, Ca. The purpose of the ship was to repair damaged submarines,ie. (bad weather, battle, collision, normal wear and tear).

The "Holland" therefore had two " crews"; one whose job it was to sail the vessel; and the other whose job it was to repair submarines, and in time of emergency ( bad weather, combat, etc.) was to man damage control teams, medical rescuesti-aircraft gun teams, and to take over any job if the normal job holder was injured.

At the end of October 1941, the "Holland" sailed for Cavite Naval Base, Phillipine Islands and arrived 22 November, 1941. It was normal for new arrivals to receive a week off to aquaint themselves with the area, so Floyd probably visitedn a pass.

By December 1, the ship was certainly back to normal, pulling routine maintenance on submarines, which of course meant that it's mechanics often had to board the submarines.

On Monday 8 December, 1941 all ships were alerted that Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the major U.S. Naval Base in the Pacific ( and 4,000 miles closer to the USA than Cavite ) had been bombed by Japanese aircraft. Obviously this meant war. The Holldered to put to sea at once and it's feeble anti-aircraft guns were manned. ( a few .50 caliber machine guns and possibly a couple of 20mm cannon )

Before the ship could exit Manilla Bay, Japanese planes arrived and the Holland had to dodge enemy bombs and machine gun strafing by using wild manuvers, lay smokescreens and shooting back, hoping to put the enemy pilots off their aim. Ate planes left, but the night was spent docking and sending repair parties ashore to fix bomb damage to the shore facilities, which were on fire.

Next dawn the enemy planes arrived and the whole affair was repeated. That evening the Holland docked again.

The third day was a repeat of the second and by evening of the 10th it was decided that the Holland should make her way to Balikpapan on Dutch Borneo, over 2000 miles to the south.The Holland sailed and soon realized that the ship had toenese warships in the dark ( neither were equipped with radar ) and hole up during the day close to an island, where often times the trees hung over the water, hoping not to be seen by Japanese aircraft which were patrolling at will.

On the 12th the Holland miraculously missed running into a major enemy task force sailing to the southern Luzon. By hiding at times against the islands of Mindara, Panay, Negroes, Mindinao, Java and Borneo, the Holland finally reached Balowever, they found several vessels wrecked by Japanese aircraft, and at dawn the Japanese returned. The Holland stuck out like a sore thumb - a fresh target and a USN ship to boot. The Holland fought off the planes all day. ( By radio the Holland had learned that two British battleships had been sunk by enemy plane in just minutes, so the crew must have suspected that every moment under air attack would be their last)

The second day was a repeat of the first and that night the captain received permission to leave, the Dutch port was obvioously not as safe as it was declared.
By skirting the Borneo coast the Holland kept hidden and then made a 300 miile dash, in daylight, across the Java sea. The Holland safely reached the port of Sourabaya on Dutch Java. Once there the Dutch defense vessle.

" Sourabaya" and the shore guns provided protection and the Holland was able to survive the days air raids. They even managed to repair a submarine while there. This port was obviously not safe and the Holland received permission to sail to Pt Darwin, Australia, that night.

By hugging the coast of Java, Lombok, Bali and Timor islands, the Holland reached Darwin Australia in January 1942.

Safe now, the Holland began repairing submarines and other vessels. Over the next few days they learned that Cavite and Balikpapan, indeed all of the islands they had " hugged " had fallen to the Japanese, with the exception of Java.

On February 3, 1942 the Holland was asked to go back to Java to rescue Admiral Lockwood and several other americans. The reason a non-combatant vessel was chosen was that no allied warships were available

( either sunk, crippled or locked in combat ). The crew agreed and set sail. Ignoring the chance of being seen, the Holland sailed full speed in daylight and after six days reached the small fishing village of Tjilaljap and rescued the party whe under air attack. As the Holland returned across the Java sea, they passed two Japanese task forces, each about 100 miles north, and also the gunboat "Tulsa". The Holland reached Darwin Australia on February 14, 1942.

( Australian, British and Dutch ships at Darwin refused to sail this month, as they felt it was suicide, with the Japanese controlling the seas. Two Chinese vessels sailed, but returned after 24 hrs after having sighted enemy aircraft. Ten american vessels sailed but only two reached their destination, the other eight were never seen again, and those two were sunk on their return trip.

The Holland therefore was the only ship to sail from Darwin into enemy waters, at this time, and return and had covered 3000 miles doing it.

However, the sigh of relief heard aboard the Holland only lasted five days for on 19 February,1942, no less than 188 Japanese planes arrived. The holland put to sea at once and fought planes. Seventeen ships were sunk and others crippletuck of the Holland held.

A few days later the ABDA (Australian, British, Dutch, American) fleet entered the Java sea and was completely destroyed. Java was then occupied by the enemy.
Over the next four months there were sporadic air raids in the Darwin area, but the Holland moved on the night of 19 Feb.1942 to Fremantle,and on 15 Mar. to Albany to stay out of range of Japanese forces.

In April 1942 the mechanics aboard the Holland were commended for solving the problem of the ineffective torpedo: the single most important maintenance problem for the Navy in WWII.

Floyd was still with the Holland at this time. This is evidenced by a receipt to F. V. Luke for payment of replacement of a skylight for " C. Collins - Bootmaker" dated July 8 1942 in the amount of $4.16 in Albany, West Australia, which is abt 100 miles south of Frementle. Records show that the Holland was in Albany port doing a refit on the submarine Tautog, The Tautog stood out to sea on 8 October 1942.

In February 1943 the Holland sailed to Mare Island,Ca. for an extensive overhaul. The crew were allowed leave in March 1943.

In July ( or slightly later) 1945 Floyd, by now a Chief Machinists Mate, was assigned to shore duty on Okinawa at a naval magazine, an ammunition depot which was preparing for the invasion of Japan. He remained there untill 1946

Floyds decorations would have been:
Navy Unit Commendation Medal
Good Conduct Medal
American Defense Medal w/ 'F' fleet clasp
World War II Victory Medal
Phillipine Independence Medal
Phillipine Battle Star
East Indies Battle Star
(possibly)
American Campaign Medal
Occupation Medal

The Holland saw duty at Pearl Harbor from June 1943 to June 1944. Then sailed, with a brief stopover at Midway, to Guam. Duty there was often interupted by air raids, and going ashore was hazardous because of Japanese stragglers on the island.
November 1944 to January 1945 the Holland returned to Pearl Harbor, then back to a peaceful Guam. In July the Holland docked at Okinawa and September entered Tokyo Bay.
It is not known if Floyd was aboard the Holland at any point between June 1943 - 1945. If so he may have also earned the American Campaign Medal, the Marianas Battle Star and the Riyukyus Battle Star.


NOTES FROM CARL WAYNE GRAY:
Served on the USS Holland AS-3 1941-1943 served in Manila December 1941, East Indies 1941-1942. Participated in the rescue of Admiral Lockwood behind Japanese lines, Unit Citation

Source: http://www.wwiimemorial.com

Military Service:
Served on the USS Holland AS-3 1941-1943 served in Manila December 1941, East Indies 1941-1942. Participated in the rescue of Admiral Lockwood behind Japanese lines, Unit Citation

Source: http://www.wwiimemorial.com/Registry/plaque.aspx?honoreeID=1667514

Floyd married Jenkins, Bessie Elizabeth 'Bessie' on 23 Mar 1943 in Neosho, Newton County, Missouri. Bessie (daughter of Jenkins, James Noley and Nelson, L.M.) was born on 17 Dec 1921 in Grove, Delaware County, Oklahoma; died on 6 Feb 1998 in McAlester, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma; was buried in Sperry Rest Haven Cemetery, Sperry, Osage County, Oklahoma. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Luke, Stephen Gregory 'Steve' was born on 10 Oct 1947 in Miami, Ottawa County, Oklahoma; died on 14 Jun 2002; was buried in Sperry Rest Haven Cemetery, Sperry, Osage County, Oklahoma.
2. Luke, Carla Sue was born on 15 Jan 1952 in Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma; died on 6 Jan 2023 in Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma; was buried in Sperry Rest Haven Cemetery, Black Dog Township, Osage County, Oklahoma.
3. Luke, D.A.
4. Luke, C.A.C.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Reference Number: LUKE.J001
• _FGRAVE: 24056773

Notes:

Birth certificate #4714 file in Clay County, Illinois.

Note from Carl W. Gray, 23 March 2010:

The 1880 Census for Busseron, Knox County, Indiana shows him living with George and Barbara (Herrington) Wilson as a farm hand, but does NOT indicate any relation to them.

Was my previous information incorrect?

Was Barbara Herrington not his mother?

Hopefully, as I look at the earlier census reports, some of these questions will be answered.

In the 1870 Census for Busseron, Knox County, Indiana, John A. Luke is 9 years old living with George W. and Barbara (Herrington) Wilson. I'm convinced that my previous information was correct. Barbara is the mother of John Albert Luke.

John married Graham, Nella 'Nellie' on 27 Mar 1899 in Louisville, Clay County, Illinois. Nella (daughter of Graham, John Riley and Hornick, Rebecca Isabelle 'Bell') was born on 6 Jul 1880 in Knox County, Indiana; died on 9 Sep 1976 in Burgin Manor Nursing Home, Olney, Richland County, Illinois; was buried on 12 Sep 1976 in Clay City Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Homemaker
• Reference Number: GRAH.N001
• _FGRAVE: 24056750
• Funeral: 12 Sep 1976, Cardascio-Easley Funeral Home, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois

Notes:

Mrs. Nella Mason, 96, of Olney, died at 6:15 p.m. Thursday at the Burgin Nursing Manor No. 1 in Olney.

She was born in Knox County, IN July 6, 1880, daughter of Riley and Rebecca Hornick Graham.

In 1899 she married John Elbert Luke in Louisville. He died in 1918.

She then married D. S. Mason in 1930 in Olney. He died in 1957.

Surviving are a son, John Luke of Clay City; five daughters, Mrs. Sylvia Ashbrook of Lawrenceville, Mrs. Goldie McDowell of Calhoun, Mrs. Nica Conner and Mrs. Grace McDowell, both of Clay City, and Mrs. Minda Pflaum of Noble; 31 grandchildren; 70 great grandchildren; 20 great great grandchildren.

She was a member of the Church of the Nazarene in Olney.

Services will be Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in the Clay City Chapel of the Cardascio Funeral Home, with burial in Clay City Cemetery.

Friends may call from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: LUKE.W001
• Military Service: American Civil War, Company B, 143d Indiana Infantry

Notes:

NOTES FROM STEVE LUKE:
Moved to Indiana , Knox Co. form Ohio prior to 1860


NOTES FROM CARL WAYNE GRAY:

The first confirmed mention of William David Luke is in the 1850 Federal Census for Busseron, Knox County, Indiana. William is living on a farm owned by John B. Moore.


In the 1860 census, he is shown as Luke, W., as being born in Ohio and is age 29. William and Barbara are living on a farm owned by J. B. Moore.

This would place his birth date at about 1831. There is a William D. Luke listed in the 1850 census in District #61 (later named Busseron), Knox County, Indiana, but he is listed as 22 years old (born about 1828) and born in Ohio. Ages were not always accurately given to census takers, although the ages do not match during the 10 year period of the two census reports, I suspect that this may be the same William David Luke. To further complicate the situation, I checked the Ohio census for 1850 and found a William Luke in the town of Aurelius, Washington County, Ohio.

Birth:
The 1850 census says he was born about 1828 in Ohio.

Census:
In the 1850 census, William is living with the John B. and Eliza Moore family

William married Harrington, Barbara on 26 Jan 1856 in Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana. Barbara (daughter of Harrington, T. and Phillips) was born on 28 Mar 1832 in Indiana; died on 3 Mar 1917 in Clay City, Clay County, Illinois; was buried on 28 May 1917. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer
• Reference Number: HARR.B001

Notes:

The 1870 census shows her in Busseron, Knox County, Indiana.

Census:
The 1860 census finds W. (age 29) and Barbara Luke (age 26) working and living on the farm of J.B. Moore from England. There is also a W. B. Sprinkel (age 6) living with William and Barbara. Who is W. B. Sprinkel?

Buried:
possibly buried in Clay City Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: GRAH.J008
• _FGRAVE: 24199206
• Census: 8 Jul 1870, Busseron, Knox County, Indiana; 1870 Census, Busseron, Knox County, Indiana, Page 07B
• Census: 8 Jul 1870, Busseron, Knox County, Indiana; 1870 Census, Busseron, Knox County, Indiana, Page 07B

Notes:

Birth:
Stephen Gregory "Seve" LUKE's research indicates he was born in Ohio.

John married Hornick, Rebecca Isabelle 'Bell' on 19 Feb 1879 in Louisville, Clay County, Illinois. Rebecca (daughter of Hornick, Christopher Columbus and Baity, Rachel) was born on 8 Nov 1842 in Clay City, Clay County, Illinois; died on 23 Oct 1930 in Olney, Richland County, Illinois; was buried on 25 Oct 1930 in Clay City Cemetery, Clay City, Clay County, Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Housewife
• Reference Number: HORN.R001
• _FGRAVE: 24199202

Notes:

The 1920 Census indicates that she could not read or write.

The marriage document for Riley Graham & Bell Hornick shows that she died on October 23, 1930. Other sources show October 24, 1930.

Census:
In the 1890 Census, she is listed as Arabelle.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: LUKE.T003

Thomas married Fuller, Drusella Cossal on 1 Feb 1834 in Dearborn, Indiana. Drusella (daughter of Fuller, Soloman) was born in 1811; died in 1880. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: FULL.D001

T. married Phillips. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: HORN.C001
• _FGRAVE: 91249312

Notes:

[Nancy Delphenich's notes:]
1850 Federal Census, Fayette County, Illinois, No. 169-172.
1860 Federal Census, Richland County, Illinois, No 574-578.
1880 Federal Census, Knox County, Indiana, No. 217-219, living with daughter
Isabell Graham.
==================================================

Marriage record revealed Christopher C Hornick and Rachel Baity married on Apr 9, 1837 in Clay Co, Illinois.

Christopher and Rachel were both about twenty-four when they married.

The Illinois, Compiled Census and Census Substitute Index 1810-1890 revealed that in 1840 they were living in Clay Co, Illinois.

The 1850 census revealed Christopher was a farmer. They were living in Fayette Co, Illinois, their real estate was valued at $400. They had two sons and six daughters living with them.

Their daughter Susan died before the age of eleven.

The 1860 census revealed they were living in Decker, Richland Co, Illinois, their real estate was valued at $1,000. Rachel could not read or write, they had three daughters living with them.

The 1865 Illinois census revealed they were still living in Richland Co.

Their children:

Charles E Hornick (b.1837)
Geo W Hornick (b.1838)
Elisabeth A Hornick (b.1840)
Rebecca J Hornick (b.1842)
Mary C Hornick (b.1843)
Nancy E Hornick (b.1845)
Henrietta Angeline Hornick (b.1846)
Susan A Hornick (b.1849)DY
Lydia Hornick (b.1854)

The 1866 Tax Roll of Illinois revealed he was a Cattle Rancher.

In 1880 Christopher Hornick (widower) was living with his daughter, Rebecca Isabell Graham and her husband Riley Graham in Busseron, Knox, Indiana.

White County Illinois, Death Register revealed Hornick, Chris, male, white, Farmer, German nationality, widower, age 73 years. Died 10 a.m. Feb. 25, 1888 in Mill Shoals of unknown cause. Buried Feb. 26, 1888. Resident 60 years.

Mill Shoals Column of the Wayne County Press, March 1, 1888
Feb. 27 "Christofer Hornick, aged 75 years, died...last Sat. Morning...burial at Shrewsberry graveyard."

Census:
NOTES FROM CARL WAYNE GRAY:
In the 1850 census, his last name is spelled "Hornic":

Christopher married Baity, Rachel on 9 Apr 1837 in Clay County, Illinois. Rachel (daughter of Baity, George Jr. and Allgood, Rebecca) was born on 24 Oct 1813 in Surry County, North Carolina; died on 17 Oct 1875 in Richland County, Illinois; was buried in Shrewsbury Cemetery, Mill Shoals, White County, Illinois. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Reference Number: BAIT.R001
• _FGRAVE: 91249337

Notes:

Birthdate is also listed as Oct 14, 1813 [Nancy Hashimoto]
[Nancy Delphenich's notes:]
1850 Federal Census, Fayette County, Illinois
1860 Federal Census, Richland County, Illinois
Marriage Record No. 1-48, Old Number 1 Book of Marriages, Clay County,
Illinois

Birth:
Illinois Death index for Rebecca Isabelle Graham says Rachel was born in Illinois